Orange Lake President Elected Chairman of ARDA

Orange Lake Resorts’ Don Harrill Elected Chairman of American Resort Development Association

Don Harrill, president and CEO of Orange Lake Resorts, home to Holiday Inn Club Vacations, was officially elected as Chairman of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA) during the recent ARDA Convention and Exposition in Orlando. ARDA is the national trade association representing the vacation ownership industry.

"I couldn't be more pleased with having Don as our industry leader especially at this unique moment for vacation ownership," said Howard Nusbaum, RRP, ARDA's president and CEO. "Don has been a long-time advocate and tireless voice for our industry, as well as someone I've learned so much from during these challenging economic times. With his strong business, financial, and management skills, he is poised to be a truly effective leader for ARDA."

"I'm ecstatic and honored to take on this role with ARDA," said Harrill. "As America emerges from an economic crisis, it's a great time for us, as an industry, to have pride in our product and integrity in the process by which we share our product with consumers."

Created in 1982 by Kemmons Wilson, founder of the Holiday Inn brand, Orange Lake is a growing vacation ownership company which now includes six Holiday Inn Club Vacations resorts. In 2008, Harrill successfully linked a strategic marketing alliance with IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the largest hotel group by number of rooms, creating the Holiday Inn Club Vacations brand. Orange Lake Resorts is privately held by the Wilson family and continues to own and operate their resort locations, with nearly 3,000 total employees.

Harrill is a Registered Resort Professional (RRP) and has a rich resume in the world of timeshare. Before joining Orange Lake Resorts, he was president and chief executive officer of Trendwest Resorts. Prior to that he was president and chief executive officer of Hilton Grand Vacations Company, where he led the company's financial turnaround and developed and implemented their mixed-use hotel-timeshare resort strategy.

Harrill follows Jim Lewis, president of Disney Vacation Club as Chairman of ARDA. He is joined in the ARDA officer ranks by Wyndham Vacation Ownership president and CEO, Franz Hanning (chair-elect) and Baker Hostetler law partner Robert J. Webb, Esq., RRP (treasurer).

Orange Lake Resorts is located on the shores of 80-acre Orange Lake, in Kissimmee, FL, and offers boating, fishing, board sailing, waterskiing, and sunbathing. Golfers can play the 27-hole course designed by Joe Lee, and tennis players can choose from 15 courts on site. In addition to area attractions such as Walt Disney World, Sea World, and Wet 'N Wild Water Park, visit the resort's 120 seat movie theater, outdoor pool areas and local restaurants.

(Photo credit - orlandosentinel.com)
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